Educate me on this TB (pics)

[EricV]

Hi gang-

Here are some shots of the cylinder side of my TB. Seems a lot of sh*t in there- pretty hard/crusty stuff...wasn't easy to clean off. Pics look worse than it was, but not far off from the actuality.

I haven't any exp w/ EFI, so not sure if this is normal or not. The bike had 8900 on it, was running great overall and for most of it's life iBeat was set to stock settings, and at around 7K I set it to 108, 108, 116. Perhaps related (to help with feedback you may have): although the bike ran fine/very strong (and valves always kept w/in spec) I'd pretty much always had to use the enrichener lever to start it on a cold start (first start of the day and no more) and usually averaged around 37-43 mpg (though I was always pretty hard on the throttle.) The side that connects up to the airbox/boot was very clean.

So, if you have any feedback that would be great. If this is indicative of another issue I need to address I'd like to do so as I put the rebuilt engine back in (which will hopefully be late Dec/early Jan.)

Here are the pics (looks worse than it actually was, but still pretty nasty. Thanks for feedback:

 

[DYNOBOB]

I suspect what you've got is normal, coming from reversion at idle. I know we (the collective) talked about 108 on the low iBeat setting a while back, but based on what all the Dynojet maps look like, I'd drop the first number back to 100. Reversion and being a little rich at idle is probably what your seeing. I always need the cold start first time also.

Your engine probs were all in the bottom end I think...? Did you have pics with the head off?

.

 

[DYNOBOB]

also, be careful what you clean with - some TBs have a coating you don't want to damage - do a little googling.

.

 

[EricV]

Thanks Bob- appreciate it. It may be too late (read: it is ) on the cleaning. I used an canned/aerosol TB cleaner (from an auto parts store) so I guess it is what it is- I'll hope I didn't do much damage (but assuming I have as the plating/finish is flat, meaning not shiny and silky.) I did post a ways back about what to use but didn't hear feedback (please don't misunderstand that- it's no ones obligation/resp. to respond to those things.) If I did do some real damage what are the consequences? I hope I'm not having to a buy a new TB. EDIT: Yes, should have read up on TB cleaning more closely. It seems these harsher solvents can/will eat away at the smooth plating. My guess is that if other parts of the TB aren't damaged it'll run fine, but it'll mean that deposits will collect/accumulate much faster/easier than on a healthy smooth plated surface.

Yes, it was a bottom end failure and nah, I didn't get pics back from the mechanic. They have the bottom end re-assembled (had to order new cases) and the hold up now is that they had gotten the wrong base gasket. My hope is that they now have this and we're back on track for having it all done soon. I'm really wanting to get everything buttoned back up and see if it'll run well.

 

[DYNOBOB]

I'd think you're OK w/ the TB cleaner. Does the can say "safe for Ford"? Worst case, a little faster accumulation...

 

[EricV]

I'd think you're OK w/ the TB cleaner. Does the can say "safe for Ford"? Worst case, a little faster accumulation...

It doesn't say Ford safe but, at least, it says safe for TB coatings. Its CRC brand TB cleaner. I looked at mine again and it appears the coating in mine isn't too bad (I think what I'd seen, right after cleaning it, was some hazing that lightened up.)

In the interests of fully outing myself though, some had to have gone down the two little holes where the TPS is, and also around the injector tip (the 4 holes were- and stayed- clear/clean..but the concern is the rubber seal in there.) I started real careful...I did...but it took a lot of time and cleaner to get that throat clean (can't say that I recommend CRC.) It dies/evaporates fast. Think the TPS can handle that? Not sure what's in a TPS. Likewise...it seems like it's probably best to pull the injector from the TB and replace the seal near the tip. Once the two screws are out does it take a hearty tug to get the injector free? Sorry for the questions- again never dealt w/ a TB and don't wish to screw it up any worse as, I think, they cost around 500 bucks.

 

[Theo]

The cleaner you used was specific for TBs, so IMHO you don't need to worry about it.
It is also my humble opinion that you shouldn't remove the injector: I doubt that a specific TB cleaner damages seals.
Anyhow, your TB looks really dirty, compared to mine:

These pics were taken more than an year ago; I don't remember whether they were taken before or after the cleaning, but, since there was just a little dirt, before and after it looked similar. The bike had about 8.4k miles on it.
What about sending those pics to your mechanic and getting his opinion?

 

[EricV]

Thanks again Theo- you're always great about chiming in. Yes- I should probably send my pics to the mechanic but, then again, now that the engine has been fully torn down and rebuilt whatever may have been causing this excess of crud may be resolved. What bob above says (about reversion) makes sense, and my bike ran perfectly normal throughout it's 8900 miles....so who knows. I'll try his recommendation of 100/108/116 and see how it goes. My TB looks like yours, now, although it might not be quite as perfect as you've gotten yours.

 

[Theo]

Thanks again Theo

You're welcome, I'm glad that you appreciate it.

now that the engine has been fully torn down and rebuilt whatever may have been causing this excess of crud may be resolved.

That's true, unless it was the TB itself. If I was in your shoes, I would try Bob's recommendation and see how it goes, like you've written, but I would also remove the TB and check it again, after some thousand miles.